Pascal's Wager
by Dracobolt
Summary: In the centuries since the lighthouses were lit, Weyard forgot many things. However, there were some things it should have remembered.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter One

The night sky was a rich, deep blue and studded with tiny white specks of starlight. The thigh-high grass, a washed-out yellow-green in the light of the brilliant white moon almost directly overhead, rustled in the soft breeze. The air was amazingly fresh with just a slight chill to it, but she felt invigorated as never before. The serene grassy plain spread out in all directions, with nothing on the horizon. Never had she felt so separated from everything, but she couldn't bring herself to care when the night was so beautiful and she felt so at peace.

She began walking, having nothing better to do. The breeze eddied around her in sporadic bursts, caressing her and pulling her along. She could have laughed, and then she did, just because she felt like it. It seemed to her that the stars were laughing with her, and singing in their joy a celestial melody that she seemed to hear not with her ears, but with her very soul.

Eternity could have passed. The walking was pleasant and did not exhaust her. The starsong lulled her mind into a deep state of tranquility. This trance was so complete that she did not comprehend the difference in the landscape for almost a minute.

It was like plunging into cold water. No longer did she take the surreal landscape for granted. Standing about fifty feet in front of her was Isaac. His back was to her, and he stood with his hands clasped behind him and his head tilted up to survey the stars. His blond hair was ruffled by the wind, and he seemed at peace.

She didn't call out to him or approach him immediately, choosing instead to just watch him. A movement to the right caught her eye. Almost exactly between her and Isaac was a sleek shape slinking through the grass as though it were water. It stopped a short bit away from her and sat, its muzzle wearing a canine grin. The blue wolf had fur almost as dark as the sky and piercing eyes that glinted gold. It turned and looked at Isaac, regarding him just as she had a moment before. Then it turned to her, and this time she knew that its wolfish smile was one of malice.

The wolf made its intentions clear when in a lithe movement it bounded to Isaac. She screamed a warning. Isaac turned, confusion and then terror passing over his face before he was knocked down by the wolf.

She ran to him, no plan in mind. Her only thought was to get the wolf away from Isaac. Before she got to him, a long, drawn-out scream ripped through the air. Blood sprayed in a cascading arc. There was silence. She faltered to a stop. The wolf walked away from the body, its head held proudly, blood staining its muzzle a deep crimson that, combined with the blue fur, made the muzzle appear black. It looked at her, one self-satisfied glance, and then it walked away, seeming to fade into the grass.

The wolf's departure broke Mia from her shock. She dashed to Isaac and immediately saw that there was no hope. His throat had been torn out. She half-fell, half-knelt at his side. Her hand hovered by his face, almost afraid to touch. Tentatively she brushed blond hair from his face, caressed his blood-spattered cheek.

"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry," she whispered, tears spilling down her cheeks. She took his hand in hers and pressed it to her chest, allowing herself to give into the deep sobs that overwhelmed her.

* * *

Mia woke up clutching a handful of bedclothes to her chest. It took a moment for her to fully realize that she was awake. Rolling on to her back, she let go of the blankets and stared at the ceiling. The dream had left her shaken. It had seemed so real, and even now, the images flashed through her mind.

She threw back the covers and sat up, sliding her bare feet into slippers and pulling a dressing gown on over her night gown. The only way to get the terrible image of Isaac's ravaged corpse out of her mind, she felt, was to see him alive and well with her own two eyes.

It was still quite dark outside, but the faintest beginnings of dawn were visible through the bedroom window. Mia padded down the hallway of Isaac's house, where she was lodging, and peeked into his bedroom. Isaac was sprawled out on his bed, face smushed into the pillow and covers thrown to the floor. Mia saw at a glance that he was breathing normally, peacefully, still asleep at this pre-dawn hour.

Satisfied, she watched Isaac slumber for a moment longer before heading downstairs. There was no way she would be going back to sleep, so a cup of tea would be a good way to ease into the day.

* * *

That was where Isaac found her a few hours later, a book in hand and an empty tea cup sitting on the table. "You're up early," he greeted her.

Mia's gaze snapped up from the book. She smiled when she saw Isaac. "Good morning. I couldn't sleep so I came down for tea. Would you like some?"

"Sure," Isaac said, pulling up a chair. He was still in his pajamas, white with blue pinstripes. He stifled a yawn as he asked, "Why couldn't you sleep?"

Standing at the cupboard to get Isaac's cup, Mia froze for a moment. If only he knew. But she replied, saying, "Just a bad dream. It shook me up a little too much for me to feel like sleeping again."

Isaac made a sympathetic sound. "I know what you mean. Sometimes I get these nightmares about Mars Lighthouse where-" He stopped. "Heh, sorry." He reached across the table and tapped the book. "What are you reading?"

Mia returned to the table and poured tea for Isaac and then another cup for herself. "It's a collection of folk tales. Kraden loaned it to me. He said there were some tales about myths from ancient Imil that I might find interesting."

"Huh." Isaac pulled the book in front of him and flipped it open to a random section. "Qiqs," he said and frowned. "I'm probably pronouncing it completely wrong. But apparently they're purple monkey demons that steal sheep at night in the Izuman islands."

"It's half a bestiary and half a book of stories," Mia said, pulling the book in front of her. "Do you remember the Gabomba statue that Felix and the others told us about? There are almost fifty pages devoted to that tale."

"Sounds interesting," Isaac said. He finished his tea and stood up. "My parents will be waking up soon, so I'm gonna get breakfast started. I'll make you a deal."

"Oh?" Mia asked.

"Yep," Isaac said with a grin. "I'll make pancakes if you read that story out loud while I do that."

"How can I refuse?" Mia asked, giving him a smile in return. "I would do quite a lot more than just read a story to get some of your pancakes."

Isaac laughed and began pulling out the ingredients. Mia took a sip of tea and then turned to the beginning of the Great Gabomba's story. She'd only gotten a few pages into it herself, so it would be new to her as well.

* * *

The morning passed cheerfully. The myth had been darkly fascinating, and Isaac's pancakes were the best he'd made yet. Kyle and Dora had been pleasantly surprised to find breakfast waiting for them. After eating, Kyle and Isaac left for work, and Mia helped Dora with the household chores. It was only fair, she considered, since the Cavanaughs were allowing her to live with them while she was in Vale.

Late in the morning, Mia was free to do as she wished. While washing the dishes, an idea had occurred to her, and so Mia set off for Vale's item shop to find Ivan.

As she walked through the village, Mia reflected on how easily she and the other three foreign Adepts had adapted to living in Vale. She had talked about it with Sheba a couple weeks ago when the younger girl had dropped by the sanctum while Mia was on duty there.

"You probably put in more than more work here than the actual healers," Sheba had joked, perching on one of the front pews.

"'The actual healers?'" Mia asked, cocking her head.

"I mean the ones who are actually from Vale, sorry," Sheba replied, waving a hand dismissively. "I was just thinking."

"About?" Mia, sitting at the altar in the front of the sanctum, pushed side a sheaf of paperwork and focused on Sheba sitting in front of her, propping her chin in her hands.

"Well, about us," Sheba said. "You and me, and Piers and Ivan, too." She slouched down in the seat, her brow furrowed, and was silent for a moment. "Why are you still in Vale?" she asked, looking up at Mia. "I mean, what about Imil?"

Mia thought about this. "Hm... I suppose..." She met Sheba's gaze and gave a slight shrug. "I think it is because of you and the others." It was hard to articulate exactly what she was thinking, but Sheba looked at her expectantly, and so Mia continued, putting her reasons into words as best she could. "We've been through so much with each other, and I feel accepted. Who else is going to understand as well? It's hard by now to imagine not being with everyone."

"Makes perfect sense," Sheba said, stabbing a finger into the air. "Just what I was thinking." She leaned forward, her expression more sober. "A letter from Faran came today."

"Oh?" Mia remembered Sheba's adoptive father from the time they'd spent in Lalivero.

"Yeah." Sheba wrinkled her nose. "I sent a reply telling him that we still had some things to wrap up."

"I wonder if Ivan and Piers intend to leave anytime soon," Mia said.

"You weren't there when we met with Conservato," Sheba snorted. "If Piers wants to go back to Lemuria any time soon, I'll eat the Hover Jade. And Ivan's already been to Kalay a few times to organize trading with Vale, but he doesn't seem to want to go home. He didn't say it to me, but I think he's not sure whether he should consider 'home' to be with Hammet and Layana or with Hama."

"And why are you staying here?" Mia asked.

"It gets stifling being the child of the gods," Sheba said. "My family loves me, but it's so smothering there." She shifted in her seat, a small frown passing over her face before she grinned impishly at Mia. "And we all know why you stick around."

Mia raised an eyebrow. "I'll bite. Why do I stick around?"

"Let's see..." Sheba said, assuming a puzzled expression and tapping her chin with a finger. "Blond hair, blue eyes, is a Venus Adept, wears a scarf..."

Mia sat back in her chair and crossed her arms over her chest. "Isaac?"

Sheba beamed. "So when's the wedding?"

"Now I know how Jenna feels when you tease her like this," Mia sighed, rolling her eyes. "Your point is that I remain in Vale because Isaac's here?"

"Makes sense," Sheba said.

"I never said it didn't," Mia responded. She studied her nails nonchalantly, knowing that her blush was giving her away to Sheba. A triumphant sound from the pew confirmed this. "You'll keep this to yourself, right?"

"Me, gossip?" Sheba pressed a hand to her brow. "I am wounded, Mia."

"Cut the act," Mia said with a chuckle.

"If you seriously don't want me to say anything, I won't," Sheba promised. "Not that it's not already so obvious." She grinned. "Well, it's been great, but if I'm going to annoy my quota of people for the day, I have to get going. Ivan's probably had too peaceful an afternoon thus far." With a cocky wave, she got up and sauntered out, leaving Mia staring after her with a slight smile on her face.

It was to this conversation that she thought back on while walking to see Ivan. As Sheba had pointed out, the other Jupiter Adept seemed perfectly content to stay in Vale, working as a merchant. It had only taken two months before he had been given management of the item shop by the owner. Since then, Ivan acted as though he owned the place, but given the efficient way he ran things, no one could complain.

So efficient was Ivan that Mia had scarcely entered the shop when he was at her side, asking how he could assist her.

"It's something personal, not business-related," Mia told him.

Ivan looked slightly put out at not being able to satisfy a customer, but he asked what she wanted. "No other patrons are in the shop at the moment, so you have my full attention," Ivan said, pulling his stool out from behind the counter and offering it to Mia. He hopped up and sat on the counter himself.

"I had a dream last night, Ivan," Mia said. She gave a small shudder when she thought of it.

"Not a pleasant one, I take it?" Ivan asked.

Mia shook her head. "It was a nightmare- more than a nightmare. That's why I wanted to talk to you in particular. It felt like it could have been a vision."

Even before she had finished speaking, Ivan was shaking his head. "Mia, only Jupiter Adepts get prophetic visions, and only rarely at that. It was probably just a vivid nightmare."

"No," Mia insisted, "this was different. It was not an ordinary nightmare. I swear it means something. Can't you just... read my mind or something and find out?"

"I could," Ivan said slowly. "I guess you won't take no for an answer, will you?"

"Correct," Mia said. "Now what do I need to do?"

"Just concentrate your hardest on this nightmare," Ivan said. "Recall what you saw, what you heard, every feeling, every event. Now give me your hand, and we'll try this."

Mia offered Ivan one hand and closed her eyes once he'd taken it. Although it sent a wave of revulsion through her, Mia screwed up her nerve and thought back to the grisly nightmare, starting with walking through the grassy field. She mentally ran through the flow of the dream, trying to include every detail in the correct order.

When Mia got to the end of the dream, Ivan dropped her hand immediately. She opened her eyes and saw the Jupiter Adept meeting her gaze with worried eyes.

"You were right, Mia. That was no nightmare; it was a vision of things to come."

* * *

_Many miles away, the Golden Sun had risen over Mt. Aleph. A wave of Alchemy, pure energy, swept across the world. It struck every particle of every object. Only the most attuned of Adepts and sensitive of scientific instruments even sensed it, but it had an immense effect on everything it passed over._

_The wave thundered silently north-east. The creation energy passed over a deep, chambered barrow in the foothills of the mountains to the south of Imil. Had anyone been observing, they would have noticed no change, but inside the mound a presence grew in awareness. It had been a long, long time since the presence had last been manifest, but now even a lack of belief could not keep it discorporate for long._

* * *

Mia gaped at Ivan. Despite her gut instinct that the dream was more than it seemed, to hear it stated so bluntly was like a Punch Ant blow to the stomach. "Y-you're sure?" she asked.

"I wish I wasn't," Ivan said. He shook his head. "That was unmistakably a vision, but how did you, a Mercury Adept, come to have it?"

"I wish I knew," Mia said. "But isn't the important thing stopping that vision from coming true?"

Ivan shifted uncomfortably on the counter. "Yes... I suppose that would be the important thing. Except..."

"Except what?" Mia leaned forward, almost tumbling off the stool. She regained her balance and a moment later asked, "Except what?"

"Except that it's believed impossible to change the events of a prophetic vision," Ivan said with a sigh.

Mia was silent. Her thoughts raced, but no coherent conclusion was reached. Finally, she grasped at something Ivan had said. "Only 'believed' impossible?" she asked. "So it may be possible to alter what a vision predicts?"

"You can try," Ivan said. He shook his head. "No, _we_ can try. I'm not letting anything happen to Isaac or any of my friends if I can do something about it."

Mia nodded. "So, what does the dream mean?"

"Well, it's obvious that Isaac's in danger," Ivan said, drumming his heels against the counter as he thought. "But the wolf is probably symbolic. It's not very likely that he'll actually be attacked by a giant blue wolf." He rolled his eyes.

"So what does the wolf symbolize?" Mia asked.

Ivan shrugged. "No idea. Maybe you could ask Kraden. He knows all sorts of stuff."

Mia barely heard him because she had just remembered something - in fact, she was surprised that she hadn't recalled it immediately. "Alex," she said softly. "Of course. 'Wolf.' That's what his name means in Middle Lemurian. We used to call him that when we were kids."

"You think the dream means Alex?" Ivan asked. "But isn't he supposed to be dead?"

Mia shook her head. "That's what we all thought... But Alex has never done what I've expected him to do. Maybe he's still alive."

"Isn't it cats that have more than one life?" Ivan joked.

Mia rolled her eyes. "But wait. Even if Alex is alive, why would he come after Isaac? Also, why would I have this dream?" She shook her head. "Something's not adding up."

"Well," Ivan began. He stopped and looked over her shoulder. "Dang, customers. We'll have to talk about this later, Mia." He smoothed back his hair and straightened his shirt. "Why don't you tell Isaac and Kraden about it? They might be able to help you figure this out."

Mia nodded. "All right. Thank you, Ivan. Have a good afternoon." She left the shop, looking over her shoulder with amusement at Ivan's earnest manner when he was with customers.

* * *

_Alchemy drove through the grove with all the force of a waterfall, but not so much as a single pine needle was disturbed by its passage. The grove of pine trees was so completely silent that it was almost unearthly. Then the pine needles swirled in faint eddies as though disturbed by footsteps. Someone observing the grove would have perhaps thought they'd seen a slight shadow in it moving in a way no shadow could._

_A call went out. It traveled to the barrow, to a sacred hot spring hidden deep in the mountains, a place that had long been abandoned by those who once made pilgrimage there, and to a consecrated crossroad where only the scattered stones of a cairn remained to mark the long-forgotten significance of the place. Three calls answered. The shadow, growing more defined by the moment, allowed itself a satisfied smile, an expression that it had been unable to assume for millennia. The return of Alchemy to the world would herald delicious times, indeed._

* * *

Consulting Kraden was Mia's plan, but by the time she and Ivan finished, there was no time. Mia had to report to the sanctum; a pair of trainee healers would be learning to set bones that day, and Mia was overseeing their training. Her duties at the sanctum took until evening, and Mia was too tired to feel like subjecting herself to Kraden. Brain-dead as she was, she would probably only comprehend every third word that the old scholar said.

Some time after dinner, Isaac stopped by her bedroom. Mia was laying on her bed, the book of myths propped up in front of her.

"Hey," Isaac said, sticking his head through the doorway.

Mia sat up and turned to look at him. "Hello, Isaac. Do you need anything?"

"We never got to finish that Gabomba story this morning," he said. "I spent the whole day wondering how it ended."

"I was just about to read the rest of it myself," Mia said. She patted the bed. "Sit down." Isaac did so, and for the next half hour the two friends were wrapped up in the story of the arrogant young Kibomban chief who defied the gods.

When they finished, Isaac lay back and stared at the ceiling. "Well," he said, "that was depressing. Did anyone make it out of that story alive and intact?"

"Doesn't seem like it," Mia said, setting the book aside. "These stories are a lot darker than I thought they would be." She sighed. The myth had brought her dream to mind. "Isaac, I think I need to tell you something."

"Huh?" He turned his head to look at her. Catching the expression on her face, he sat up and faced her. "Is something the matter, Mia?"

"It's..." She didn't want to just come out and say, "Hey, Isaac, I had a vision that you're going to die a horrible death," but was there really a more delicate way to phrase it? "Um..."

"Hey, c'mon," Isaac said. He put a hand on her shoulder. "You can tell me."

"You're going to die!" Mia blurted out. She winced. "That... was probably too blunt. I'm sorry."

Isaac had pulled his hand away and was just staring at her with one eyebrow raised. When he spoke he said, "You mind explaining just what you meant by that?"

"Um..." Well, there was no point in being subtle now. "I had a dream that was a vision, and according to it you're going to die."

"Is that going to make sense if I ask you to repeat yourself?" Isaac asked.

Mia didn't look at him. She smoothed her skirt and said, "I had that dream last night, and that's why I couldn't sleep. In it, you were killed, and when I woke up, I just knew that there was something wrong about it. I asked Ivan, and he told me for certain that it was a prophetic dream just like the visions a Jupiter Adept gets."

"Yeah, but you're not a Jupiter Adept," said Isaac. "Why would you be having a vision?"

"I don't know," Mia said miserably, "but that's what happened. I still need to talk to Kraden about what it might mean in specific, but the general idea is all too clear."

Isaac didn't say anything. He stood up. He turned to Mia. "Thank you for telling me."

"Isaac?" He sounded suddenly so formal.

"I think I'll go to bed now. Good night, Mia."

"I'm sorry if this was upsetting," said Mia, also rising. "I just didn't think it would be right to keep this from you. You'll be careful from now on, right? So that nothing happens?"

Isaac nodded but remained silent. Mia was deflated. "Well, all right, then. Good night, I guess."

Isaac nodded again and then left. Mia sighed and sank back down onto the bed. That could have gone a lot better. All she'd succeeded in doing was making Isaac think she'd lost her mind.

* * *

Breakfast the next morning was awkward. Isaac greeted Mia when she entered the room with a brisk nod and returned his attention to his food. Mia tried to act like she wasn't bothered by this and she felt that she did a fair job of hiding her hurt. She would give Isaac some time. After all, she _had_ said some very startling things last night. Perhaps once Isaac had some more time to assimilate the information, he would not act so distant. Attempting to soothe her feelings with this thought, Mia left for the sanctum.

Mia spent the morning helping out at the sanctum, and when she was given a break for lunch, she headed for Kraden's cottage. There were more important things than food at a time like this, although Garet might be one to argue otherwise. Mia rapped on Kraden's door. There was no answer, so she tried again. There was a loud crash from inside. "Bugger!" Mia stifled a giggle at hearing Kraden's exclamation. "I'll be right there!" Kraden called.

A few minutes later, Kraden cracked open the cottage door. A pair of goggles rested on his forehead; the skin around his eyes was clean, but the rest of his face was covered in a bluish powder, as were his grey robes. "Hello, Miss Mia. May I help you?"

"I'm sorry to interrupt your work, Kraden," said Mia, "but there's something really important I need to talk to you about."

"Well, come in, then, and make yourself comfortable," said Kraden, opening the door wider.

Mia entered the cottage and looked for a place to sit down. Every chair in sight was piled high with books or papers. The sofa in the corner had a strange, wicked-looking contraption sprawled over it. Mia wasn't sure why Kraden needed something that looked like a bear trap fused with a windmill, but she was sure that she wouldn't be sitting anywhere near it. Giving up on her search for a seat, Mia turned to Kraden. "It's about Isaac," she said.

Kraden's expression turned grim. "Young Ivan stopped by last night and told me about your vision. I did some research on the matter as soon as he left."

"Did you find anything?" Mia asked.

Kraden scratched his head, causing blue dust to shower everywhere. "It's odd, but the part about the blue wolf seemed very familiar. I was sure I had read about it recently, but I couldn't recall anything specific about it. And when I searched the pile of books I had read recently, there were none relating to the matter." He furrowed his brow. "I'm sorry, Miss Mia, but I will keep looking, and I'll send the book over to you immediately if I find it."

"What should I do, though, Kraden?" Mia pressed.

Kraden sighed. "If I could think of anything for you to try, I would tell you. I am fond of Isaac, and I don't want anything to happen to the boy. Unfortunately, I am out of ideas. I would suggest mentioning the vision to Isaac and seeing if the two of you can put your heads together to come up with a plan of action. You're both rational young people."

Mia made a face. "I told Isaac last night. He, um, he didn't take it very well." She gave a wry chuckle. "I suppose it would have been better if I had not blurted out that he was going to die, without any build-up."

Kraden gave a bark of laughter. "Yes, that would be a most upsetting thing to hear. Don't worry, though. He'll get over the shock soon, I have no doubt."

"You're probably right, Kraden," said Mia with a smile. "Thanks for your help. I hope you find that book soon."

"I will get back to searching as soon as this experiment finishes," Kraden told her, lowering his goggles over his eyes. "Have a good afternoon, Miss Mia."

* * *

At dinner that night, Mia stared morosely off into space as she shoveled mashed potatoes into her mouth. She answered the few queries directed at her with short, vague answers. Perhaps Kyle and Dora sensed that something was amiss between the two teenagers, for they kept the conversation mercifully light and directed at each other. Isaac, too, was in a funk, and as they ate, he avoided Mia's eyes. It was, Mia reflected, quite depressing at how quickly she and Isaac had gone from sharing stories and pancakes together just the day before to this awkward silence now. She had just been trying to keep him safe by telling him about the dream, damn it!

Mia finished the last of her carrots and snapped out of the fog she had been in. Kyle and Dora had finished eating and left, and Mia hadn't even noticed. Isaac was still there, sitting to her left. He noticed her gaze, met her eyes for a split second, then looked away, stuffing a last piece of roast into his mouth before rising to clear his dishes. So they were still on awkward terms. Very well. Mia cleared away her own dishes and then headed for her room. It was time to lose herself in the book of myths.

* * *

_The sun set to the west, and its last rays lit the blue tower to the southeast of the hill. The four not-quite-corporeal figures gathered on the hill ignored the lighthouse, as they ignored the light snowfall and the dying autumn breeze._

_"I hunger!" whined the first of the figures, his deep, hollow voice rasping out of his throat. He appeared as nothing more than a lanky young man whose gaunt frame spoke of hard times. In one hand, he carried a sickle and in the other, a sack._

_"I hunger for lives," answered the woman in her dulcet voice, her full red lips forming the words perfectly. She was tall, statuesque, with a perfect figure and lustrous black hair that shone in the dying sunlight. She gazed from the young man to the other two members of the gathering with her black eyes. Were anyone to meet her gaze, they would see eternity behind those eyes, a void of nothingness that went on forever. There were few who ever met her gaze._

_"I hunger for blood!" shouted the third of the party. He beat a meaty fist against his chest. The blow was absorbed by the layers of fur he wore, as well as the crude armor beaten out of iron. In his free hand, he held a weapon, a large battle axe. The bloodstained blade spoke of many battles, as did the scars on the man's face. He was a warrior in the prime of his life, accustomed to shedding blood and taking lives as a routine part of survival. The battles he participated in were not the glorified skirmishes told of by skalds; they were bloodbaths, animalistic slaughters that few emerged alive from. And yet this warrior had seen victory again and again._

_"I hunger for pain," said the last of the gathering. A young boy with such beautiful, almost feminine, features, he wore light linen robes. His olive complexion and dark curls, along with his classical features, gave the boy a look of innocence, and yet if one were to gaze at him for long, there would come an unsettling feeling that one was looking at a decomposing skeleton._

_"I hunger, I hunger, I hunger!" howled the first man, waving his sack for emphasis._

_"We all hunger," said the boy. "I want to walk among mortals again. I want to make their flesh wither with a touch. I want to hear them call out to me for mercy. When may we feed, Yobu?"_

_"We must have patience," said the woman. "It has been a long time indeed, this past dark age. Weyard has been without Alchemy for so long that our memories have been lost to time. Before we can feed, we must be remembered. The time of our feast will be soon." Her perfect lips curved into a smile. "I have sent my servants south. Our hour approaches."_

* * *

This website is terrible and should feel terrible. There's a part two, but you're not getting it until I get over my murderous rage at the lack of any sort of scene breaks being allowed except those horrible horizontal rules. Really, why is our fandom still here and not on some other place like AO3? Uh, yeah, anyway, I finished this fic for the Temple of Kraden's Belinsk Arts Festival, and it somehow took first place, even when contending with Saturos (Dantaron) and Joker. So I guess it must be good, even though it's been ages since I wrote this characterization for Mia. Anyway, drop me a review if you've gotten this far, and stick around for part two!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

The limbs of the scattered pine trees were heavy with snow, and flakes continued to float down and add to the load. The moon shone brilliantly in the black sky, reflecting off the snow-covered ice of the glacial plain. The moonlight made it bright as day and cast hard shadows that stretched across the lightly packed snow. Mia's breath formed a cloud in front of her as she walked. The sound of her breathing and her boots crunching softly in the snow were the only sounds, although there was a cold, high chiming at the edge of her hearing, as though the stars themselves were singing a beautiful, unworldly melody. A tickle of apprehensive familiarity brushed the edge of her mind, but Mia could not put a reason to it and so dismissed it. She continued walking.

The air had a definite chill to it, but the cold was not uncomfortable. To a girl who had grown up in the north, the cold during a snowfall had a comforting feel to it, and Mia's lips curved into a smile as she felt snowflakes land on her nose and eyelashes. As she passed the pine trees, she lazily reached out to brush their branches, delighting in the soft 'shh' that the snow made as it fell into clumps on the already snowy ground. How beautiful it all was!

Mia walked for a time, not marking the minutes, until a new sight appeared on the landscape. A fair way ahead of her stood a figure. Again she felt the apprehension tingling in her mind as she identified the man as Isaac. Annoyed at herself for being silly, Mia ignored the feeling and looked at Isaac. He had his back to her and was gazing at the stars. Mia grinned. She knelt down and gathered a handful of snow, packing it into a ball. She added another handful of snow, then another, and then she smoothed the snowball into a perfect sphere. She stood and took a few steps closer to Isaac so she could get a good shot. Mia bit back a giggle.

Before she threw, Mia looked again at Isaac and her gaze followed his, taking in the breathtaking array of stars that peppered the black heavens. Mia's smile wavered. That was puzzling. There was something moving up there. Patches of stars disappeared from view and then reappeared a second later as though something were passing in front of them. Mia tried to discern it but was not able to until the hawk plunged from the sky towards Isaac.

"Isaac!" Mia screamed. He turned, his gaze puzzled. Mia was running towards him, and she launched her snowball now at the hawk, hoping to deter it. The snowball narrowly missed the hawk, but the hawk did not miss its target. Seconds after it began its dive, the hawk was at Isaac's throat. He screamed, a sound that was abruptly silenced a second later as the hawk tore out his voice box.

Mia stopped in her tracks, screamed. She fell to her knees as Isaac toppled over backwards, his throat a shredded red mess, his trademark scarf died a deep scarlet from the hot blood that flowed over it. His face... She did not let her gaze linger there. Mia's hands were pressed over her mouth, stifling the scream that tried to fight its way past her lips. No. No. _Not again._ The battle was lost, and the scream erupted from her. "Isaac!" She crunched twin handfuls of snow in her fist, and hot tears fell from her eyes, hissing as they made contact with the snow.

* * *

Something had to be done. This was clear enough to Mia as she sat in the kitchen in the wee hours of the morning. She yawned and took another sip of tea. She would not fall back asleep. She would think of a way to keep Isaac safe.

Mia stared hard at her teacup. The answer didn't appear in the mild brown liquid. Mia continued to stare as her fatigued mind ran over the possibilities. The wolf was Alex, somehow alive? But why would she have a dream about him? She had been close to Alex, but they didn't have any sort of magical bond. Perhaps the wolf wasn't Alex. Perhaps it was a simple coincidence. After all, this time there had been a hawk, and Mia had no idea who or what that could mean. But if that was the case, she was back where she had started, only one dream closer to losing Isaac.

"Hey, are you all right, Mia?"

Mia jerked awake. She wiped some drool away from her mouth with the back of her hand. "Huh? I fell asleep?" She looked up to see Isaac standing there, looking concerned.

"Yeah, I came down to start breakfast, and you were just passed out on the table," Isaac said. He started to speak and then shut his mouth. He sighed, then said, "Was it another dream?"

Mia didn't want to say something that would send Isaac back into silence, but she couldn't bring herself to lie. She nodded.

"Another one like the one you said was a vision?" He wasn't quite looking at her when he spoke. Mia nodded again. "You're really worried about this."

"You would be, too, if you'd seen what I saw." She shuddered, recalling how vivid the blood had seemed as it speckled the moonlit snow.

Isaac's hand descended to her shoulder. "All right. Look, Dad and I have a busy day at work today, but this evening, you and I will talk about this whole thing, okay?"

Mia looked up at Isaac and read the sincerity in his eyes. "Thank you," she said, suddenly feeling more cheerful than she had all week.

* * *

It was really a beautiful day, Mia decided as she strolled through Vale's plaza with Jenna and Sheba. She and Isaac were talking again, it was her day off, and she was spending it with her two friends. What could be better than this?

"I'm glad the dress is ready," Jenna was saying as they walked to their next stop, the floral shop. "It fits perfectly. I love it."

"You just need to make sure you don't gain any weight between now and the wedding," said Sheba. Jenna stopped in her tracks.

"Sheba, don't tease her like that," Mia laughed. "Jenna, you're not going to gain any significant amount of weight before the wedding as long as you don't enter any pie-eating contests."

"Well, there go next weekend's plans," Jenna said, chuckling. "Yeah, you're right, Mia." She shot Sheba mock scowl. "By the way," she added, "how are things with you and Isaac?"

"Huh?" Mia asked, blindsided by the change of topic.

"He was all mopey yesterday, Garet said, and he was pretty sure that it was something between the two of you," said Jenna.

"Oh," said Mia. "Uh… It was just a misunderstanding. I think we have everything mostly cleared up."

"Well, that's good," said Jenna. "You know, if you get him to propose soon, you can have a double wedding with me and Garet. It would be fun!"

"Jenna!" Mia exclaimed, blushing, while Sheba started cracking up. "I don't even know if Isaac _likes_ me like that!"

Sheba snorted. "Come on, Mia. It's pretty obvious. I mean, he lets you stay at his house and everything." She tapped her chin. "Come to think of it, does that mean the two of you-?"

"Sheba!" Mia knew she was blushing redder than Jenna's hair by this point. "Isaac and I are, at this point, just friends."

"With benefits?" Sheba murmured. Jenna howled with laughter.

"No!" Mia cried. "You two are awful, you know that?"

"Oh, come on, Mia, lighten up," Jenna chuckled. "Seriously, though, if he doesn't say something soon, I think you should just grab him and kiss him. Isaac's so shy about stuff like emotions that you might need to make the first move. But, seriously, you have to know that he likes you."

"Well, yeah, I'm pretty sure, anyway," admitted Mia, blushing away. "Once I'm sure Isaac and I are over this little, uh, misunderstanding, maybe I'll bring it up."

"Atta girl!" Jenna cheered, punching the air.

"All right, all right, no need to get so excited," said Mia. "Come on, let's go pick out flowers." She nodded towards the floral shop and the figure standing outside. "Kay's waiting for us."

Jenna nodded. "Wow, it's so weird to think that she and I will be sisters soon."

"That's gonna make her relationship with Felix a little awkward," Sheba commented as she followed the two older girls into the flower shop. "I hope you guys in Vale don't have an incest taboo."

* * *

"So," said Isaac.

"So," replied Mia.

They were sitting on the bed in Mia's room. Isaac sat with his legs crossed, hands on his knees. Mia had her hands clasped on her lap as she perched on the edge of the bed. Neither was looking at the other.

"So you had another dream where I died," said Isaac. "Was this one a vision, too?"

"It felt like it," responded Mia. "I didn't ask Ivan, but it felt the same as the first one."

"I was thinking," said Isaac. "Maybe it's not really a vision. Maybe it just means something."

"Ivan said-," Mia began, but Isaac waved a hand to cut her off.

"Ivan knows a lot of things, but he's not perfect," said Isaac. "I'm just wondering if he might have been wrong this time."

"You think I don't want to believe that?" asked Mia. "If there was any doubt at all that this dream was nothing more, I would be clinging to that! I don't want you to die! But, Isaac, this is the real thing! Do we need to go visit Ivan and have him show you the dreams?" Maybe her voice had gotten louder than she intended it. She raised a hand to her mouth in embarrassment. Her hand was shaking.

Isaac reached for her hand. "Mia, calm down. Please."

Mia squeezed his hand. "I'm scared for you. I don't know what to do, Isaac. Kraden has no ideas, and neither does Ivan. I don't know why I'm having these dreams, and I can't do anything to stop them."

Isaac uncrossed his legs and scooted across the bed, not letting go of Mia's hand. He wrapped his free arm around her, pulling Mia into a hug. "It'll be all right, Mia. Really. And, look, you don't have to do this alone. If something's wrong, I'll be here to help you the whole way."

"Thank you," she murmured, burying her head in his shoulder.

"Yeah- Hey, what, are you crying?" he asked.

Mia shook her head. "Uh-uh," she sniffled.

"Don't cry, please," said Isaac, sounding rather alarmed. "Mia, it's all right." Mia just squeezed him tighter. "Uh…" Isaac seemed at a loss. "Look, how about we put all this dream stuff aside for now, okay? We'll just talk or something, all right? You'll feel better soon, and when you're not so upset, we can figure out how to deal with things."

Mia nodded and pulled away. "O-okay," she said, wiping her eyes with the back of her hands.

Isaac stroked her cheek and smiled. "All right. How about we read some more of those stories? Or did you finish that book?"

Mia shook her head. "No, there are still several sections left." She picked up the book from her nightstand and passed it to Isaac.

"My turn to read, huh? Okay." Isaac opened the book to Mia's bookmark. "'The Ballad of Anemos'? Sounds interesting." He began reading. It was a beautiful piece of poetry, written in flowing script in eloquent, expressive language that sounded like music. It told of the legend of Anemos, the world that became the moon. Mia became lost in the beauty of the words and the comfort of Isaac's voice and his body next to hers. As he read, Mia curled her arm through his and leaned her head against his shoulder. Isaac paused for a fraction of a second, and Mia looked at his face to judge his reaction. She was pleased to see a small grin appear on his face as he continued reading, and she thought to Jenna and Sheba's comments from earlier that day. They were right, she felt. Soon, soon, once this business with the dreams was cleared up, she and Isaac- Well, there was no point getting ahead of things. Right now, she was with Isaac, and there was nowhere else she would rather be.

All too soon, the ballad came to an end. Isaac and Mia sat in silence for several long moments, not wanting to break the spell of the poem. Finally, Isaac spoke. "Do we want to continue?" he asked softly. Mia nodded. Isaac gave her a small smile and turned the page. "Hey, it says these stories come from the north of Angara. Maybe that means Imil?"

Mia shrugged. "Kraden did say that there were such stories in here."

"Well, we'll find out, won't we?" Isaac began reading. "'Isolated by the Borean range from the rest of Angara, the people of the north have long worshiped gods unknown by the rest of Weyard. Referred to by scholars as the dark gods of the north, these deities stand out for being considered not benevolent guardians but vengeful forces to be placated.'" Isaac glanced at Mia. "Sounds like fun, huh? 'The dark gods of the north numbered four, called Eir, Thunlingr, Ke, and Yobu.' Quite a mouthful."

"I've never heard of any of this," Mia said, leaning forward to get a better view of the book. "Strange. We have so much lore on the Celestial gods, but there is absolutely nothing in the clan records of these dark gods. And what an awful name for them. The dark gods of the north."

Isaac turned to the next page. On the recto was an illustration. It showed the figure of a young man with crazy red hair. He was stick-thin, and his mouth was open in a howl. In one hand was a sickle, and in the other he carried a large sack. On the verso, there was a description of Eir.

_Crazed with hunger, he stalks through the fields in the dead of night. His sickle reaps the spirits of the crops, and with a greedy arm he gathers them into his sack, muttering to himself with pleasure as he squirrels away the harvest. The next day, when the farmers come to the fields, they find their crops withered on the vine._

"So they set aside portions of their harvest for Eir in order to convince him not to take their whole crop?" said Mia. "Interesting. Which is the next one?"

"Thunlingr," answered Isaac. "God of war. Big, tough fellow. Says that he had quite a following among the dragon folk – must mean Prox."

_He rides among them, his chosen warriors. Many fear him, and rightfully so, for he aids only those who impress him. The dragon people impress him, with their reckless courage and devotion to the art of warfare. When they fight, he rides with them, going among their enemies and whispering in their ears, turning their insides to water and taking from them the will to fight. Other times, he lends his aid to a particular warrior, riding with him and strengthening him, guiding his arm to land killing blows and laughing all the while at the sheer joy of bloodshed._

"I'm glad he's not around anymore," Isaac muttered. "Can you imagine if Karst had followed this guy? I don't think we would have made it past Jupiter Lighthouse." He shook his head and turned to the next page, with its depiction and description of Ke.

_The sick house is full of plague victims and their caregivers. He walks among them, unnoticed by all. He surveys the room with a vague, wide-eyed look as he selects his victim. He approaches a bedside, and the occupant stares at him curiously – that is, if it not off in a fevered dream world. He reaches out, strokes the face of the victim. The victim lets out a low moan, its flesh shriveling with the touch. It closes its eyes and exhales for the last time. He smiles._

Mia shuddered. "How awful!"

"Yeah, that sounds pretty bad," said Isaac. "Killing with a touch and spreading plague and sickness? And you had to ward this guy off with animal sacrifices? What a depressing bunch of gods."

Isaac turned the page, and Mia thought she might faint. She felt lightheaded for a long moment, and she had to squeeze her eyes shut and concentrate on her breathing before the feeling passed. When she felt better, Mia glanced anxiously at Isaac. Thank Mercury he hadn't noticed! Instead, he was scanning the page with interest. Mia took another look at the illustration. An exquisitely pretty woman with dark hair and a piercing gaze – but she wasn't the point of interest. It was the hawk on her arm and the wolf twined around her legs that caught Mia's breath in her throat. She'd seen those before. The hawk with the aquamarine plumage and the wolf with deep navy fur. Those were the creatures from dreams.

"Says that Yobu is the death goddess," said Isaac. "She doesn't look like how I'd picture death. And the animals are her servants." He yawned. "Sorry. Man, I'm tired." Isaac turned the page. "The legends about these gods are next. Hold on a sec." He flipped through the pages, counting. "They're pretty long. Sorry, Mia, but do you mind if we come back to these? I'm about to fall asleep. I don't think I'd make it though the next story."

"It's fine," Mia said, speaking carefully to keep her voice from quavering. It was actually a perfect turn of events. She'd be able to read more about this Yobu without having to worry Isaac.

"Thanks," said Isaac. He replaced Mia's bookmark, closed the book, and set it on the bed. Then he stood up. "This was fun. We'll, uh, we'll talk about- we'll talk about, uh, that stuff tomorrow, okay? We'll figure something out together. Whatever it is, I want to help."

Mia smiled. "Thank you, Isaac." She would keep him safe.

Isaac put a hand on Mia's shoulder and returned the smile. Then, before she knew quite what was happening, he bent down and kissed her briefly on the lips. "So, good night, Mia," said Isaac, his face bright red. He smiled again and left.

Mia stared after him, absently raising a hand to lightly brush her lips. Had that just happened? It was more than she could have hoped for, that Isaac would have shown some incontrovertible sign of affection. What a perfect thing to have happened! Mia glanced at the book of myths. If only there was not the matter of Isaac's impending death, Mia would have been on top of the world. She sighed and lay back onto the bed. How was it possible to feel both so elated and distraught at the same time?

Mia took a deep breath, sat up, and stared at the book of myths. It might just be the key to saving Isaac. She would not sleep that night. Once everyone was abed, she would go to the kitchen and make herself some tea. As a healer, she had some tricks up her sleeve, including an extremely stimulating type of tea leaf that would get her through the night. She would be able to read the myths, and she would also not have an opportunity to dream.

* * *

It was a depressing night. The tea worked for a while, but around three in the morning, even that wasn't enough to ward off the feelings of weariness that washed over Mia despite the stimulant in her system. Her head swam with exhaustion and with the stories she was reading. The legends of the death goddess were revolting; the priestesses of Yobu acted in the goddess's stead as arbiters of life and death, culling members of the population for sacrifices to please the goddess. Death was met with more death, all to please the insatiable goddess. True, Yobu presided over life and healing as well, but this domain was of lesser importance in the greater scheme of the goddess's worship.

At quarter after four in the morning, Mia cradled her head in her hands and let out a defeated whimper. _This_ was what had it in for Isaac? It had to be. There were just too many similarities between her dreams and these myths for it to be anything but. Still… Why? Why would this ancient goddess, forgotten for ages, want to kill Isaac? It just made no sense. Mia slowly and deliberately beat her head against the table. There was the rub. There was nothing she could do, no way to save him, until she knew _why_. Mia sighed and slowly stood up. She shuffled to the range and began to boil more water for tea. It was still much too early to think about consulting Kraden for advice, so she would simply have to pass the hours until then. And the first thing was to make sure that she didn't fall back asleep.

* * *

_Under the clear, moonless sky, the four figures waited in the grey of the early morning. A shudder ran through the woman, and she smiled at the other three with perfectly formed lips, knowing that they, too, had felt the surge of power, though perhaps not as intensely as she._

"_Our moment grows ever closer," she told them. "Soon, I shall leave to attend matters personally. Can you feel it? For the first time in Ages, we have believers."_

"_Just one, and a weak little girl at that!" Predictably, it was the warrior. He could not see the delicious perfection in choosing the girl._

_She licked her lips and elaborated on the matter. "She is one of ours, a child of the north. She knows the lore of her gods – such inclinations towards scholarship make her a good choice for my new high priestess. And, Thunlingr, surely you are not calling one of the eight who returned Alchemy to the world weak? Do not think that I was not careful in my choice. She is the scion of Mercury and wields much of its power. Your cult may require a strong warrior at its head, but my choice is my own, and in the end, this child will be most beneficial to us all."_

"_I trust your choice, Yobu," said Ke. He grinned at her eagerly, disconcerting. "A healer always has patients around, and I like patients."_

_Yobu smoothed his curls in almost a motherly gesture. "Yes, no doubt there will be many for you as well. Soon we will all have our fill."_

* * *

She had the damn morning shift today. Mia had planned to go straight to Kraden's, had already left the house, when she remembered. For a moment, she had continued towards the scholar's house before reluctantly turning her footsteps towards the sanctum instead. It wouldn't do to worry people by skipping her shift. She _never_ missed a shift. Besides, it was just for four hours, and then Mia would be able to visit Kraden immediately afterwards.

She sat at the desk, shuffling paperwork around, trying to focus her bleary eyes on the characters with little success. Mia was quite prepared to just sit through the morning in a daze, but at a little past ten, someone came by.

"You don't need to carry me, Garet, I'm fine!" It could only be Jenna. Mia gave her head a shake to clear her thoughts. Sure enough, there was Garet, holding Jenna in both arms, walking down the length of the sanctum.

"Hey, Mia!" Garet called. He sounded cheerful enough, but she could see the worry lines in his brow. "Jenna fell and broke her ankle."

"It's probably just a sprain," said Jenna. She reached up and patted him on the cheek. "It doesn't even hurt that bad. You don't need to be so worried."

"Can you take a look, Mia?" Garet asked.

"Oh, yeah." Mia rose and motioned Garet to follow her. "We'll go into one of the rooms in the back, and I can see how bad it is." Mia chose an examination room, and Garet carefully set Jenna down on the high table. "Which ankle?" she asked Jenna.

"The right," said Jenna.

Mia nodded and began to carefully examine the injured area. As she did so, she asked, "So what happened?"

Jenna shrugged. "I was just going to see Garet this morning and ask him a few last-minute questions about the wedding, and when I was leaving, I tripped on the stairs near his house. Ow!"

"Sorry," said Mia. "But on the bright side, you were right, Jenna. It is just a sprain. I'll wrap that up, use Ply, and as long as you stay off that ankle, you should be back to normal in just a couple days." She walked over to the cabinet where the medical supplies were kept and pulled out a bandage.

"So, I take it you and Isaac have made up?" Jenna asked as Mia wound the bandage around her ankle.

Mia paused for a fraction of a second. "Yeah, we talked," she said, continuing her work.

"That's good," said Jenna. "Garet said that Isaac seemed much happier when he saw him this morning." She looked at Mia and frowned. "Can't say the same for you, though. You sure everything's okay?"

"Oh, uh, yeah. Everything's great. I mean, I'm just tired. I was up late last night. Reading," she added quickly, anticipating the sort of quip Jenna was likely to make. "Ply." Blue light flowed from Mia's hands to surround Jenna's ankle for a second before it faded. "There you go! I'll grab you some crutches on the way out, okay?"

"Seems like overkill," Jenna commented.

"Humor me and take the crutches, okay, Jen?" Garet asked. "For me?" He pouted.

Jenna laughed. "If you insist, Garet."

Mia found crutches for Jenna, and soon enough the couple was on their way. Jenna was hobbling along, with Garet hovering solicitously alongside her. Mia smiled. They were really cute together. She couldn't help feeling a pang of jealousy, though. Why couldn't things go that well for her and Isaac? Why did- No. No. She _would not_ think about that now. There was nothing she could do until she was done with work. Work. She would get back to work, review the papers, tidy the examining rooms, whatever she could to keep herself distracted. Mia let out a shaky breath, wiped away tears that she could not remember crying, and forced herself to think of other things until noon.

* * *

Midday finally arrived. Mia had filled some of the time in the early hours of the morning packing herself a cold lunch, and she had eaten it while still technically on her shift. When another healer arrived to relieve her, Mia bolted from the sanctum, startling the young man who was taking her place. She didn't care. She had to talk to Kraden, right now.

"Oof!" Mia was knocked from her thoughts and onto the ground. The person she had run into sat across from her, giving himself a onceover. Now that she wasn't preoccupied, Mia recognized her victim. "Ivan? Oh, sorry about that." Mia got up, rubbing her back. "Need a hand?"

"I'm good, thanks." Ivan stood up. "I was looking for you, actually, Mia. I'd been meaning to check up on you ever since you came by and told me about that dream, but things have been so busy…" He shook his head. "I should have made time. I'm sorry."

"No, it's fine, Ivan," Mia sighed, pushing some hair out of her face. "But maybe you could come with me. I was just going to visit Kraden and tell him about something important I learned about these visions, and maybe you might have some idea of what to do."

"Of course," said Ivan. "Is it good news?"

"Just wait until we see Kraden," Mia said with a short shake of her head, and that was all Ivan could get out of her.

They walked swiftly to the sage's cottage and entered when he yelled for them to do so. Kraden was not present in the living room, but he called from his workshop for his visitors to sit down and make themselves comfortable; he'd be with them shortly. Mia found an unoccupied armchair and curled up in it, drawing her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around her legs. She let out a low whimper as her head throbbed from lack of sleep.

"Are you all right, Mia?" Ivan asked from his seat precariously close to the windmill-beartrap thing Mia had seen on her last visit.

"Just tired," she mumbled, trying not to cry at the wave of hopelessness that welled up inside her. _Oh, please, Kraden, help me. Tell me what to do._

Ivan gave her a worried look but didn't say anything, and they sat in tense silence until Kraden emerged from his workroom ten minutes later, his robes and face spattered with what looked like black ink. He shucked off some gloves and his work robe and tossed them onto a table with little regard for order, and then he sighed and looked at the two young people who awaited him.

"Well," said Kraden. "May I assume, Miss Mia, that you have not made much progress in your dilemma?"

Mia shook her head. "Uh-uh." She whimpered. "It's only gotten worse."

Kraden located a stool and pulled it next to Mia's chair. He sat down and patted her arm. "Suppose you tell us what's happened since the last time we talked, hm?"

Mia nodded and took a deep breath. She ran down the events from the beginning, briefly mentioning how she'd talked to Ivan about the first dream and how she'd confessed the matter to Isaac. She spoke of the tension that had resulted, and of the brief earlier visit to Kraden, and then of the second dream and her reconciliation with Isaac. Then, haltingly, she spoke of the revelation of the book of myths and what she feared it might mean. "I- I just don't know what to _do_," she burst out. "If it is a goddess doing this, then how can I stop her?" She tucked her head down and tried to control her breathing and hold back the tears that threatened.

Kraden gave her another pat. "Did you bring the book, my dear? I'd like to see what it says firsthand. Maybe I can think of something you missed."

Mia unfolded herself and reached for her satchel. The book of legends sat there amongst a hair brush, an uneaten apple from lunch, and some old papers that probably could be thrown out. Mia fished the book out and handed it over to Kraden.

"May I make a suggestion?" This was Ivan speaking, and when he saw Mia's nod of assent, he continued. "Mia, you look really tired. I think you could use a nap-" he raised a hand to hold off her protests, "and I think it would help us figure out what was going wrong if I read your mind while you slept in case you have one of those dreams again. The last time you showed me your dream, that was just your memories of it. We may have missed something because you didn't remember it. If I'm following your dream as it happens, then maybe we'll learn something more." He saw Mia's hesitant expression and added, "I know you don't like the idea of experiencing another dream like that, but this could be the best lead we have."

"You're probably right," Mia said. She took a deep breath. "Fine. I'll do it. If it could help save Isaac, I'd do anything."

Kraden started clearing off the sofa with the windmill-beartrap, and Ivan ducked out of the way just in time to avoid being decapitated. "Sorry about that," Kraden chuckled, depositing the contraption in a corner. He shifted the books and papers to a table that had a slightly lower concentration of random stuff on it and flipped a cushion that had a questionable stain.

"There we go," said Kraden. "Miss Mia, the sofa is all yours if you wish to nap there."

"I'd sleep on a bed of nails that this point," she muttered. Mia moved from the armchair to the sofa, fluffing the decorative pillow that was placed at one end and then laying down. Kraden found her a spare blanket, and Mia kicked off her boots.

"I'll be in my workshop, looking this over," said Kraden, holding up the book of myths. "You rest well, Miss Mia. Ivan and I will do all that we can to help you."

"Thank you, Kraden," Mia said, rubbing her temples. "I appreciate it."

"I'll stay right here," said Ivan. He dragged Mia's recently vacated armchair next to the sofa. "Don't mind me; just try to get some sleep." He grabbed a thick book from one of the many piles and sat down. "I'll be watching over you."

"Thanks," Mia said, giving him a weak smile. She closed her eyes, threw an arm over her face to block out the daylight that filtered into the cottage, and tried to fall asleep. Sleep didn't come easily, however. Thoughts of Isaac and Yobu and blood, so much blood, kept flashing through her mind. Knowing that another vivid, tragic dream almost certainly awaited her when she dropped off to sleep kept Mia awake. But eventually the low ticking of a grandfather clock, the occasional rustle of turning pages from Ivan's book, and Mia's own exhaustion did her in, and she drifted off to sleep.

* * *

Well, I hadn't planned to split this into three parts, just two, but it makes thematic sense to do so. Here's chapter two! Chapter three will be along sometime before long. I'd like to thank everyone who reviewed so far. Gotta say, it's good to be back. I've mostly been focusing on my GS epic AU Interlude (currently only posted at the Temple of Kraden), but maybe I should do more side projects like this. Too bad I'm not a fan of Dark Dawn. Ah well. You'll still see further fics from me with stuff from the first two games. And now, Dracobolt signing off until chapter three!


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

The night was beautiful. As Mia stepped along the gently arching pathway, her breath was taken away by the simple loveliness of the garden. The water was a deep, rich black, reflecting the white stars above, the floating specks of the fireflies, and the low, permeating glow of the torches that were placed on each of the small islands. Somewhere in the blackness that she couldn't see, there must have been small waterfalls, for Mia heard the constant trickling of falling water as the background to the chorus of crickets and night birds, along with the crackle of torch fire. Mia stepped along the pathway from one island to the next, her hand placed lightly on the railing of the little bridge, which was made of elegantly carved and painted wood. The next little island was little more than a circle of stone approximately five feet in diameter and ringed with carefully cultivated plants. Another bridge led away from it, heading towards a wooden pagoda in the Xianese style. Mia remembered such architecture from when she and her friends had visited Xian; it made her wonder what it was doing here. Something felt… off, wrong about this situation.

Still, as Mia continued to meander through the Xianese water garden, a feeling of peacefulness crept over her. Who could be anxious on such a night when the very stars in the sky seemed to be chiming in harmonious joy with the rest of creation? She smiled and looked up at the sky. Yes, there could surely be nothing to worry about here. The only way that this night could be more perfect would be if there was someone to share it with.

As if responding to her thoughts, when Mia pulled her gaze away from the heavens she saw that Isaac had appeared in the pagoda; a pang of irrational dread swept through her. "Isaac?" she called.

He turned to look at her, smiled. "Hey, Mia."

She hurried the rest of the way towards him. Such haste seemed wrong in the peaceful night garden, but she couldn't help it. Her heart pounded for no reason, and when she reached him, she took his hand, clasping it tightly, afraid that if she let go, he would be gone.

Isaac looked down at their clasped hands, then up to meet Mia's eyes, quirking an eyebrow. "Trying to break my fingers there?" Mia blushed and loosened her grip but didn't let go. "It's good that you made it back, though. The mistress of the garden just left to bring us tea. Says it's customary to share tea here before the visit ends."

_What visit? _a part of Mia asked. _How did we get here, why can't I remember? Why do I feel so scared?_ But she only said, "Tea sounds lovely right now."

Isaac gently slid his hand from hers and sat down at a low table in the center of the pagoda area. Mia followed his lead, seating herself to his right. Silence reigned once more. The insects, the night birds, the gentle rustling of willow trees and trickling of water, all of it melded together with the starsong from on high. Mia found that her previous anxieties melted away. She looked at Isaac, he met her gaze. They smiled at each other. There was no need for words, not here, not now. Instead, his hand founds hers, and they sat in quiet communion.

How long did they remain like that? How long was Mia's heart at peace? After an unknowable amount of time, soft footsteps could be heard approaching from a direction Mia had not explored. A woman appeared, bearing a tea set on a tray. She wore the traditional Xianese garb, but it was obvious that she was not a native of that town. Her hair was black, true, but the shape of her black eyes and her face seemed to imply a northern ancestry, and she was quite tall, certainly taller than all the women Mia had seen in Xian. The woman caught Mia looking at her and smiled; Mia ducked her head, embarrassed to be caught staring.

"It is good to see that your friend has returned, Isaac," the woman said in a rich voice, her words fully formed, filling the air like pleasant chimes. She set the tea tray down on the table and sat down across from Isaac, to Mia's right. "I was looking forward to sharing tea with you both."

"Me too. I've never had Xianese tea before," Isaac said.

No, he wouldn't have, Mia reflected. They had only spent one night in Xian while on their journey, and during dinner, there had been that _incident_ with the tea pot, and- Well, it was better left in the past.

"Then we shall have to remedy this misfortune," the woman said. She set out tea cups and picked up the small tea pot, carefully pouring hot tea into each cup. She set a tea cup in front of Mia, giving the girl a calming smile that Mia involuntarily returned. Then she leaned across the table to hand Isaac a cup. Mia frowned slightly. There had been an flicker of motion as the woman handed Isaac the tea cup, something extra that wasn't part of the simple gesture. She'd only caught it out of the corner of her eye, had sensed more than seen, so there was nothing Mia could say, but it reignited the feeling of wrongness that she had about this little tea party.

All three of them had their tea, and the woman raised her cup to her lips to drink. Isaac and Mia followed suit. Mia gave the beverage a cautious but subtle sniff before drinking it; the tea neither smelled nor tasted out of the ordinary. She drank more freely – and then a ragged gasp.

The sound was rough and out of place, and it came from Isaac. He set his cup down heavily, tea slopping over the edge. His other hand was clamped to the side of his neck.

"Isaac?" Mia cried, her voice high with worry. She set down her own tea cup just as hastily and scrambled over to him. "Isaac, what happened?"

Isaac opened his mouth to speak, but instead of words, all that came out was blood. Mia pried his hand away from his neck to inspect the wound. Puncture marks. In the midst of all her worry for Isaac, the hairs on the back of her neck prickled with suspicion, and Mia glanced sharply at the woman who had served them tea. She hadn't reacted to Isaac's outburst, and it became clear to Mia why that was.

The woman – Yobu – sat calmly and gave Mia a serene smile. Twined around her left wrist was a pale blue serpent which she was idly petting with her other hand.

Before she could speak to the goddess, Mia's attention was claimed by Isaac, who had managed to speak her name. It was already too late for him, she could see this even without knowing the outcome from her other two dreams, but even if this was just a dream, Mia couldn't allow Isaac to die in front of her without trying to help him, and so she cast her strongest healing spells, all to no effect. _It's just a dream; Isaac is not really dying,_ she told herself, but it was impossible to ignore what was before her eyes.

He died. Isaac's weight slumped onto Mia, his head lolling. His eyes were hidden from her, and she was glad of it, worried that she might see reproach or betrayal for not saving him. No. Isaac would never think that. He knew that Mia loved him, would do anything to save him. She just wanted him to blame her, wanted her guilt to be validated. Mia hugged Isaac's body to her, hot tears spilling from her eyes for a moment of weakness. Then she carefully laid him aside and stood.

Yobu rose as well.

"Why are you doing this?" Mia demanded.

The goddess smiled at her. "You are a clever girl. How quick you were to figure out my plans."

"Why are you trying to kill Isaac?" Yobu did not respond. "Tell me, damn it!" Anger and grief overwhelming her, Mia threw a punch that was fueled with all the frustration of the past few days. In a lithe movement, the goddess reached up and caught Mia's fist, completely stopping her momentum. She stepped closer and looked into Mia's eyes.

"Oh gods…" Mia's knees felt weak, and she stumbled backwards. _Those eyes…_ No one should see what was in those eyes. This hammered home how completely alien Yobu was.

"Yes, gods," said the goddess with an assured smile. "You returned Alchemy to the world, bringing back the blessings of the long-ago golden age, but we belong to a time that was myth even then. My brethren and I have long slept, but we have awakened, and we hunger."

"You can't!" Mia said, wrenching her fist from Yobu's grip, her anger growing for she knew that she'd freed herself only with the goddess' consent. "I won't let you! We won't let you! You said it yourself, you're from an older time. Your time has passed. Now leave me alone!"

"Intelligence, power, and, yes, passion. Just what I desire in a high priestess." Yobu favored Mia with a matronly smile. "I chose well in you, child of the north. You have much potential. You know that death is inevitable for all mortals. Accept it and become my priestess. You will know greatness and power."

"I already _have_ power! And I don't care about greatness." Mia shook her head and clenched her fists at her side. "And if you really wanted me to join you, you wouldn't try to kill Isaac!"

"Sacrifices must be made. The priestess must be consecrated through blood. You will serve me, whether you wish to or not."

* * *

"No!"

Mia came awake with a shout, startling Ivan, who knelt next to her with a hand on her shoulder.

"Mia, I saw everything," he began, but Mia ignored him and scrambled for her boots. "We need to research this goddess, perhaps figure out what caused her to lose power before, and- Mia?"

Boots on, she got to her feet and was out the door before Ivan could say another word. Not that she was paying any attention to Ivan. All that mattered was getting away from Vale. Away from Isaac. She would not be the death of the boy she loved.

Mia pelted through town, unconscious of the odd looks she got from the villagers and of Sheba calling out to her. Sweat beaded on her brow, her breathing became labored, and her side ached. Mia only began to slow when she cleared the front gate of the town. Due to Vale's secluded nature, there was a very clearly defined boundary between the town and the surrounding countryside. No little homesteads dotted the landscape. Nothing but woods and plains, which was how she preferred it. Of course, it was rather stupid to run away with nothing but the clothes on her back, but Mia didn't dare spare a minute. She set her gaze south, turning her back on the goddess' homeland, and set off.

What had started as a short rest on a hillside in the middle of the afternoon had evidently turned into a nap. Mia could tell because it was suddenly nighttime, and also because Isaac was kneeling next to her, a hand on her shoulder and a concerned look on his face.

Mia sat up so suddenly her forehead cracked into his. Isaac reeled backwards, and Mia staggered to her feet with a hand to her head. "Ow! I'm so sorry! What are you doing here?"

"Looking for you," Isaac said, standing as well. "Everyone saw you just run out of town. Mia, what-?"

"Go away," she said. "Just go back to Vale. Now. Leave me alone."

"Mia…? Look, if this is about those dreams, I told you we'd face this together," Isaac said, reaching out for her hand.

"No!" She stepped back. "Isaac, please. I-" Mia had to take a deep breath to keep back tears. Her mind supplied images from her dreams to firm her resolve. "I can't be the reason you come to any harm. Just let me go. Please."

Isaac closed the distance between them and took her hands in his. "Hey. Mia. I know that you would never want to hurt me. And, knowing that, I don't care if it's dangerous. I want to stay with you. Now, and… and always. I mean it."

This was too much. The tears escaped. Fear for Isaac and longing for him warred, and prudence lost. Isaac pulled Mia to him, and she held him tightly, sobbing into his chest, wishing she could be held like this without having to worry about what she might be subjecting him to. Without the memory of seeing, of _feeling_ his corpse in her arms. Even holding him close now, warm and alive, Mia couldn't banish the pictures her mind conjured. As Isaac's presence calmed her, the bitter truth of what she needed to do once again pressed itself upon her. It would mean breaking his heart and hers both, but he would be alive. And that was more important to her than anything, including her happiness or even her own life.

The realization winded her. It was the only way to truly assure his safety. Isaac was nothing but a pawn in the goddess' plans for Mia. As long as Mia was alive and cared for Isaac, he would be in danger. So all she had to do was…

Mia pulled away from Isaac and gave him the strongest smile she could. "Thank you, Isaac," she said, taking one of his hands in hers and squeezing it. "Truly. I'm- It- I want to stay with you too. I love you. Very much." The look of sweet astonishment and joy on his face broke her heart. Mia faltered over her next words but pressed on, not giving Isaac a chance to speak. "So… That's- That's why I ran away. Because I didn't want to hurt you. But… Running away isn't the answer. I realize that now."

"Of course not," said Isaac. He pulled her close, kissed her softly, and Mia felt the tears start again as she wrapped her arms around him. She allowed herself to give into the sensation for a long moment, savoring the feel of Isaac's lips, his embrace, this fulfillment of a long-held desire. But it had to end eventually, and when it did Mia took a few steps back.

"What do you say? Shall we go back to Vale?" Isaac spoke with a goofy grin on his face.

Mia couldn't help a small smile in spite of everything at seeing his happiness. Still, she shook her head. "I'm not going back."

"But you said-"

"Running away isn't the answer. She won't give up that easily."

"She?" Isaac cocked his head to one side.

"From the book," Mia said. "The book we were reading. Those northern gods. Yobu, the goddess of death. She's real, Isaac, and she wants me to join her. Those dreams were just the beginning. The animals, they're her servants." In the pale moonlight that glazed the grass, Mia caught sight of movement. A navy shadow, the glint of moonlight on fangs. Time was running out. "She wants you dead, Isaac. And I can't let that happen." Mia swallowed hard, took a few deep breaths. Isaac was watching with concern, looked about to speak, so she forged on. "I can't let that happen, and there's only one way to stop it." The silhouette of a raptor drifted across the full moon. "I love you, Isaac. And this was my choice, so please don't blame yourself."

"What are you- Mia, no!"

She heard the horror in his voice, but everything was subsumed by pain as the liquid in her brain snapped frozen. And then, nothing.

* * *

It was a week since it had happened, and Ivan still couldn't really believe that Mia was dead. He hadn't realized how much a part of his life her presence was. As he puttered around the shop taking inventory, Ivan caught himself making a note to ask Mia about expanding the line of healing products the shop carried, before the dull ache in his heart reminded him that he could never ask his friend anything again.

If Ivan was taking it hard, Isaac was taking it even worse. Their fearless leader, whom Ivan had always believed could be strong no matter what, was utterly broken. Ivan had only seen Isaac in brief moments, such as during the funeral service, for the older boy spent much of his time holed up in his bedroom, speaking to no one, but the small flashes of his emotional state that a subtle mind read could pick up spoke volumes about the inner turmoil Isaac felt.

Ivan and Kraden had been in the vanguard of the search for Mia after she had fled town that day, and they had come across Isaac sobbing over Mia after she had- When it was too late.

"Why did she do it?" Isaac moaned over and over again.

_Because she believed it would save you,_ Ivan didn't say. The last thing Isaac needed was guilt, and Ivan had an inkling that he wouldn't believe it, anyway. Not that it mattered. Mia was gone, out of reach to all of them. Isaac was safe, and the goddess thwarted. It was a bitter victory.

After he finished with work, Ivan headed over to visit Kraden. The old scholar, with his steady wisdom, was good comfort these days.

Kraden answered the door with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Good evening, young Ivan," he said. "I had hoped you would drop by. An old man gets lonely, you know. I have some tea steeping, if you'll have some."

"That would be great, Kraden," replied Ivan, striving to match the older man's cheerfulness.

They sat down to tea and some sandwiches, chatting about Kraden's experiments and village gossip, harmless topics. Their words ran down, and in a lull, Kraden took the conversation in another direction.

"Ivan, I have been meaning to ask you," Kraden said, steepling his fingers. "Mia told you the most about those dreams of hers. And you experienced one with your powers. Do you… Were they genuine?"

_Was she crazy?_ Ivan heard the real question without even needing his powers. "Were the dreams really the result of a meddling goddess? I don't know. But I can tell you, Kraden, that they weren't normal dreams. When Mia first showed me her memories of one, I could sense something different about it. And then, that day…" Ivan trailed off. He didn't like to think of the dream he'd experienced with Mia. Because it was someone else's dream, he'd felt her emotions and reactions as well as experienced the actual content. Ivan remembered Mia's horror and despair, so palpable that it had left him shaken when she awoke. But more than that was the sense of _other_, that he had been transported to a different place, not just a dream world.

Ivan caught himself and gave his head a small shake. "Well, let's just say I could understand how she might have felt driven to desperate measures."

"I see…" said Kraden. "I suppose we'll never truly know the answer, now that she's gone." He took off his spectacles and rubbed the bridge of his nose. "It's simply a tragedy, that one so young and kind should lose her life like this."

"Yeah," said Ivan, playing with his empty tea cup. "Kraden, do you have that book of legends that Mia was reading?"

"I do," responded Kraden. "I haven't had the heart to read it or do much of anything with it. Would you like to see it?"

Ivan nodded, and Kraden retrieved the text. Ivan could see a plain cloth bookmark peeking out of the pages. His heart gave a painful lurch. That would be where she'd left off.

"You're welcome to it," Kraden was saying. "And do let me know if you find anything."

"Huh? Oh, yeah, of course," said Ivan. He stood and tucked the book under his arm. "Thanks for the tea, Kraden. I guess I'd better get back to the inn. I'm to open the shop tomorrow morning."

"Of course, Ivan," said Kraden. "Thank you for dropping by."

Upon returning to the room he was renting at the inn, Ivan lit the lamp and settled in at his desk. He gazed at the unassuming cover of the book of legends, then opened to the worn bookmark. A lump rose in his throat. Ivan ran his fingers over the strip of cloth, then set it aside. Perhaps Isaac would want it.

Ivan began to read.

* * *

_A chill wind blows through the grove, rustling the pine branches and the woman's skirt. She smiles in pleasure at the physical sensation; it has been so long since she has been fully incarnate. But now her rebirth has been consecrated by a death in her name, and belief in her grows. She does not have her scion, her chosen priestess, but that is a small price to pay._

_The warrior does not see it this way, but he is always impatient. More grating is his amusement at the girl's defiance. "That she would kill herself rather than submit to you. Amusing!" His laughter is annoying, but she pays it no mind. Who knows better than she that death is merely a natural (and sometimes not so natural) part of life? Their rebirth has not been stopped, not even slowed. The girl's death has inspired belief in those who had doubted. And the gods will take that belief, nurture it. They are eternal, and time is theirs. Soon enough will Weyard be once again under their thrall._

* * *

And here we have my first Golden Sun fic in years. Boy howdy, I didn't realize how long it had been since I posted anything here. Been focusing on _Interlude_ a lot in that time. Anyway, I hope y'all enjoyed this story! I bet I've upset some folks with Mia's death, but if ya wanna know a secret, the reason it took me so long to finish this (I started the draft back in 2008) was because I knew it needed to end tragically but didn't quite want to do that all the same. (Oh, and while I'm sharing trivia, my writing music for this fic during the entire process was only the song "Heart of Glass," the Blondie original and the Skye Sweetnam cover. I have no idea why, but there's that.) Anyway, I like commented in a previous chapter, sure was strange to write Mia with this characterization, so close to fanon. I'm more accustomed to the sarcastic _Interlude_ incarnation. I've mentioned _Interlude_ in these notes before too, and if you like my stuff, I encourage you to check it out! The link is in my profile, as it's currently only updating at the Temple of Kraden. Well, I suppose that's it for now. I definitely want to get back in the habit of writing GS fics and posting them here, so encourage me with reviews, haha. Until then!


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